Current multi-chambered side airbag cushions are sometimes designed to have multiple chambers. For example, the airbag cushion may have three chambers. The upper chamber is aligned with the shoulder of the occupant, the middle chamber is aligned with the ribcage of the occupant, and the lower chamber is aligned with the pelvis of the occupant. The chambers are formed by coupling a front panel to the rear panel with a two-dimensional (2-D) or a three dimensional (3-D) separator.
A 2-D separator, such as a sewn seam or stitch, couples the front panel directly to the rear panel. However, a 2-D separator in the form of a stitch may compromise the fabric strength of the front and rear panels. 2-D separators also form chambers with thin sectional shapes that may have reduced stability. Venting between the chambers through the 2-D separator creates high-stress points.
A 3-D separator couples the front panel to the rear panel with a third panel, such as a fabric strip that is generally perpendicular to the front and rear panels. However, 3-D separators generally are limited to linear separators to aid sewing and to minimize the bunch-up of the fabric when the cushion is inflated. The 3-D separator may also be difficult to fold when the airbag cushion is in an undeployed state.